Rotary toothbrush



C. H. STONE.

ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1920.

1 88,074. Pa ented Aug. 16, 1921.

n mu fox UNITED STATES OEARLES H. STONE, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

norm'r 'roo'rnsnusn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Application filed June 29, 1920. Serial No. 392,703.

I To all whom. it may concern:

. Brushes, of which the following is a specifi-.

Be it knownthat I, CHARLES H, STONE, a citizen of the United States, res dmg at Freeport, inthe county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Tooth cation.

The invention relates to a tooth brush and more particularly to the rotary tooth brushes.

The primary object of the invention 1s the provision of a brush of the character, wherein the construction and arrangement thereof renders it practical and simple so that either natural or false teeth can be properly and thoroughly cleaned, the brush being readily handled and operated and 1n usethe cheeks, lips and tongue of the user will be protected from injury.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tooth brush of this char, acter, wherein a rubber cup shaped washer is so. placed on the shaft of the brush between the handle and the brush proper as to retain the water and tooth paste upon the bristles of the brush, not allowing either to -run onto the handle, thereby getting onto the hand of the user. The rubber cup shaped washer also prevents the tooth paste or water being carried into the handle on the shaft, thus causing the brush to become unsanitary, the water and tooth paste dropping directly off the rubber washer instead of following the handle or shaft.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tooth brush of this character, that can be identified by the user.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tooth brush constructed in accordance with the in vention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the brush proper.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shleld removed from the tooth brush.

Fig. 5 is a of Fig. 1. I

Similar reference sectional view on the line 55 characters indicate correspon dlng parts throughout the several views 1nthe drawing.

eferrmg to the drawing, in detail the brush, whlch 1s of the rotary type, comprises a handle (5), preferably. circular in cross section throughout its length, although the same may be of any other desirable shape and 1s constructed from hard rubber or what is termed vulcanite rubber, yet if desired it maybe from other material. The handle (5) 1s des rably of the length shown and is formed w1th a longitudinal center bore (6) through wh1ch is passed the shank or stem (7 of the rotary brush element hereinafter fully described.

The rotary brush element comprises a proper made from spirally arranged brlstles (8) secured in the folded twisted end. (9) of the shank or stem (7 wh1ch 1s rotatablyefitted in the bore (6) in the handle (5) so that the brush head is disposed at one end of the handle (5) and grip (10) being formed with longitudinal ribs (11) to provide surface whereby the ually turned by the hand of the user of the tooth brush forrotating the brush head as will be clearly apparent. Theexternal surface of the handle (5) 1s longitudinally ribbed or knurled at (12) so as to prevent-the hand, of the user slipping thereon when the handle is gripped by said user in the use of the tooth brush.

Carried by the handle (5) is a removable shield comprising a skelton or open frame end (13) which is bent to provide a resilient clip to partially embrace the handle (5) for frictionally engaging the same. Projecting medially from one end of the frame (13) is an outward angularly dlsposed neck a knurled or gripping portion (14) carrying a protector extension said grip can be mannail. The guard portion of the shield is preferably of the shape shownto cover a portion of the brush head, so that in-the use of the tooth brush the cheeks, lips and tongue will be '-protected and guarded against injury. t

- A resilient cup shaped washer 17 preferably of rubber and having 'a central aperture therein is held by the shank 7 and positioned between the handle 5 and the brush portion 8 so that in actual use of the brush, water and tooth paste will be prevented from entering the bore of the handle or flowing directl on the hand of the user. The removabl e resilient identification plate 19 is seated within the recess 18 of the shield.

The tooth brush in its construction and arrangement enables the user to clean false plates with the brush head as readily as natural teeth, it being understood of course that the shield is removed from the handle (5) when the false teeth and plate are being'cleaned, while in the use of the tooth brush for the cleaning of natural teeth the shield is left mounted upon the handle (5) to serve as a guard or protector for the cheeks, tongue and lips.

In the use of the tooth brush when clean ing natural teeth the operator grips the handle (5) and positions the brush head relative to the natural teeth so that the bristles (8) will contact therewith, the handle (5) being gripped in one hand and on gripping the grip (10) by the other hand the said grip can be turned for rotating the brush head in opposite directions or in one direction at the option of the user of the brush and on continued manipulation of the tooth brush the teeth will be thoroughly cleaned.

The grip (10) may be fastened to the shank or stem (7) in any suitable manner and in the mounting of the said shank or stem (7) in the handle (5) longitudinal displacement relative to each other is eliminated, it bein clearly obvious that on turning grip (10 the brush head may be rotated in opposite directions for the successful use of the tooth brush.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner of operation of the tooth brush will be clearly understood and therefore more extended explanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is:

1. A tooth brush comprising a handle, a shank rotatably mounted longitudinally in said handle, a brush head carried by the shank at one end of the handle, a resilient cup on the shank between the handle and brush head, and a turning grip carried at the other end of the shank to be disposed at the opposite end of the handle.

2. A tooth brush comprising a handle, a shank rotatably mounted longitudinally in said handle, a brush head carried by the shank at one end of the handle, a removable cup carried by the shank between the handle and the brush head, a turning grip carried at the other end of the shank disposed at the opposite end of the handle, and a guard" shield overlying the said brush head and cup.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

CHARLES H. STONE. 

